Transforming Complex Organizations

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Transforming Complex Organizations

• Learning from a Principle-Based Approach

Srik Gopalakrishnan, Barbara Iversen, Michael
Palmisano
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• Based on what you heard at the keynote and what
  you know about organizational and systems change,
  what is one question that you are holding as you
  walk into this room?

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Who is the Ball Foundation?

• We are an operating foundation
• We are a partner in transforming school systems
• We coach and consult for fundamental whole
  systems change
• We call this fundamental change in how a school
  district teaches, learns, organizes and leads
  transformation

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Who is in the room?

• Work in Education
• Work in the Social Sector in general
• Work in the Business/Corporate world
• Other?

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We will be talking about

• Our view of systems change
• Using a principles-based approach in general
• Our principles and how they are applied in the
  work
• The impact our work has had
• Our lessons learned

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Systems Change Transformation vs. Reform

• In order for every child to learn, there must be
  deep and lasting changes in professional
  practices of adults (Elmore, 2006)
• Decades of reform have failed to recognize the
  problem as a systems problem (Fullan, 2005)
• Twenty-first century challenges are exposing the
  limitations of a twentieth century organizational
  model (Hamel, 2007)

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Systems Change Differing Views of Organizations

• Mechanistic View

• Organic View

• Focus on one aspect to the exclusion of others
• Problems approached as complicated
• Uniform strategies
• Hierarchical, top-down structures

• Recognize that multiple aspects are involved
• Problems approached as complex
• Adaptive strategies
• Social, networked structures

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Systems Change - Our View

• Organizations we work with are organic and more
  importantly, human. Hence, we must
• Attend to the individual, the group and the
  system
• Connect the system to itself through formal and
  informal networks
• Create coherence through acting on a set of
  shared principles, or simple rules that lead
  to transformation
• Create an ongoing discipline and rigor of
  reflective practice around these principles

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Principle-Based Approach

• Principles are a guiding construct for action
• Principles represent individual and collective
  beliefs, values, knowledge, attitudes and
  assumptions
• Principles provide a lens for understanding
  whats driving individual and organizational
  action
• Principles guide reflection and reframe
  accountability

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Our Principles for Organizational Learning and
Change

• Build shared purpose
• Create adaptive solutions
• Use inquiry to guide practice
• Build on assets
• Access the capacity of stakeholders
• Work in systemic ways
• Attend to content and process

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Our Principles for Organizational Learning and
Change

• Where do they come from?
• How do we use them?
• What conditions support their success?
• How and when do we teach/share them with
  partners?
• What is required of us (in principle-based work)?

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Where do these principles come from?

• Human and adult learning
• Systems and complexity
• Organizational development and change
• Our experience

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How we use them Stories from the field
Identifying a baseline of organizational assets

• Point of entry Baseline Assessment
• Identifying assets present and assets to look for
• Collecting and interpreting data from across the
  system
• Moving to action

• Build shared purpose
• Create adaptive solutions
• Use inquiry to guide practice
• Build on assets
• Access the capacity of stakeholders
• Work in systemic ways
• Attend to content and process

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How we use them Stories from the field
Working together to engage families

• Point of entry Parent educators
• Collaborative conversations
• Next steps for action
• People serving the same families

• Build shared purpose
• Create adaptive solutions
• Use inquiry to guide practice
• Build on assets
• Access the capacity of stakeholders
• Work in systemic ways
• Attend to content and process

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How we use them Stories from the field
Connecting people and practice through networks

• Point of entry Literacy practices
• Café conversations in every school,
  cross-district
• Immersion Days for everyone
• Literacy Networks

• Build shared purpose
• Create adaptive solutions
• Use inquiry to guide practice
• Build on assets
• Access the capacity of stakeholders
• Work in systemic ways
• Attend to content and process

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What conditions support the success of these
principles?

• Leaders see themselves as learners and actively
  step into the work
• Stakeholders engage at all levels of the work
• The system brings coherence to improvement
  efforts
• Communication is open and unfettered
• Culture is flexible and open to new ideas
• Time and space available to engage in reflective
  thinking, informed by evidence

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How and when do we teach/share these principles?

• When to share? Who to share with?
• Should the organization (that we work with)
  develop its own principles? How?
• What is the consultants role?

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What is required of us (in principle-based work)?

• Personal discipline of reflection and principled
  action
• Relationship with self, others and system
• Intentional human connections
• Change in ones view of reality or possibility
• Knowing not just what the work is, but how we
  will be together in the work

Ball team as a learning organization
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The Impact of Our Work - Organizational

• Change in relationships within and across the
  system
• Breaking down hierarchies, traditional roles
• A new paradigm of professional development
• Culture of collaboration, not isolation
• Increased capacity for inquiry and reflection
• New pedagogical techniques
• Relationship of educators to families and
  community
• Emergence of communities of practice
• Adaptive planning processes
• Reframing problems from a strength-based
  perspective

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Impact of Our Work Student Achievement
Percentage of students proficient or advanced in
English Language Arts standards in the California
Standards Test in a mid-size urban school
district partner in California
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Impact of Our Work Student Achievement
Percentage of students meeting or exceeding
Reading standards in the Illinois Standards
Achievement Test in a mid-size urban school
district partner in Illinois
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Lessons Learned

• Work on instructional, leadership and
  organizational practices in coherent and
  connected ways
• Connect to peoples practice in tangible ways
  purpose of any learning is to move to action
• Build in clear expectations, agreements and
  accountability
• Assist people in understanding why, not just what
  and how
• Provide coaching and tend to the concerns of
  those in executive leadership positions
• Expect change in behaviors/actions to precede
  change in beliefs/values

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Lessons Learned

• Be the change you want to see and do not
  compromise your principles!

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Practitioner Quotes

• When group members participate in the design
  process, it raises their level of consciousness,
  thus expanding the depth and breadth of the
  work.
• I was constantly energized by the process
  itself being in conversations with caring and
  committed professionals, across roles, about how
  to best serve our students.
• Being part of this Ball partnership permitted
  me to create the setting for my staff to own the
  leaderful behaviors that enabled us to begin the
  new school year in a powerful, engaged way with a
  shared purpose.
• Ive learned that you cant transfer your
  energy and enthusiasm to others you can only tap
  into theirs.